James K. Brooks was born in Forney, January 1, 1900. In 1911 he entered the Terrell School for boys in Dallas. After six years in this school he spent one year in Bingham Military Institute in Asheville, N. Carolina, where he graduated in 1918. In order to secure further military training for the World War he entered Virginia Military Institute in the fall of 1918, but after the signing of the Armistice, he transferred in January 1919 to the University of Illinois, where he received the B.S. degree in 1922. He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega social fraternity and Alpha Zeta honorary agricultural fraternity.

On Oct. 26, 1922 he married Birdie Perry of Mineola. They have one daughter, Sallie, who is a sophomore student in the local high school.

Since his graduation he has been actively engaged in the management of his father's estate and his own business. In 1932 he was elected president of the Citizens National Bank of Crandall to fill the vacancy made by the death of his father. He has always been active in civic, political and business affairs, and has recently been re-elected as a member of the local school board. He has been a member of the Christian Church since childhood and has been an active and enthusiastic worker in all church endeavors.